Introduction
The application essays for the MBA program at Harvard Business School are a critical component for acceptance. While academic and professional achievements are clearly important factors, the essays provide applicants an opportunity to share their unique personal background and story. Successful HBS essays go beyond just listing accomplishments and experiences – they show insight into an applicant’s characteristics, values, and motivations. Applicants may draw from a variety of experiences to share what really matters to them.
This article will explore examples of successful HBS application essays that demonstrate strong themes, narratives, and lessons learned. Analyzing real essays that were accepted can provide insights into the type of content and storytelling that resonates with HBS admissions. While no two applicants are exactly alike, examining exemplary essays can help guide how to effectively share one’s authentic self through writing.
Storytelling and Lessons Learned from Challenges
Perhaps the most compelling essays are those that use personal experiences and stories to convey lessons learned or insights gained. By crafting a narrative around a meaningful challenge or obstacle, applicants can demonstrate characteristics like perseverance, resilience, or leadership in overcoming adversity.
One accepted HBS essay shared the story of an applicant working as a counselor for underprivileged children in developing countries. The applicant described a challenging experience helping a young girl suffering from abuse and neglect find a stable home. Through persevering with compassion despite setbacks, the applicant was eventually able to give the girl a supportive foster family. The essay conveyed valuable lessons learned about empathy, courage, and never giving up on improving lives.
Another strong essay told of how the applicant’s family faced extreme poverty and hunger after their home country experienced political and economic upheaval. The applicant described their determination to continue studies and support siblings through difficult conditions. In overcoming hardship with grit and community support, the applicant gained appreciation for diversity, resilience, and giving back through service.
Essays like these showcase applicants’ character through adversity narratives. By focusing on poignant experiences, meaningful insights, and lessons applicable to an HBS education and career, applicants let their values and motivations shine through in a sincere, compelling way.
Connecting Multiple Experiences
While a single powerful experience can make for an effective essay, tying together multiple but related experiences can demonstrate breadth and evolution. One successful HBS essay shared several anecdotes from the applicant’s career in marketing and product development.
Each experience highlighted a different theme – from learning ethnic diversity through international client work, to leadership challenges in launching new products, to overcoming biases as a female executive. But a common thread was a passion for innovation and bringing more inclusive perspectives. The essay wove the experiences together cohesively to show growth in interests relevant to an HBS education, like cross-cultural exchange and challenges of change management.
Another essay took a similar approach, drawing from the applicant’s roles in teaching, non-profit work, and private enterprise. The common theme was a dedication to social impact through business. Each experience built upon the next to demonstrate an expanding worldview and skills in diverse organizations. Connecting multiple examples in a essay with a strong through-line helps showcase an applicant as multi-dimensional with interests that will enrich campus discussions.
Demonstrating Fit with HBS Goals
Apart from compelling storytelling, successful HBS essays explain the applicant’s fit and motivation for the program. They answer why an MBA at HBS specifically, rather than just pursuing an advanced business degree. One accepted essay described the applicant’s passion for global management gained through living abroad and working with international teams.
The essay linked this interest directly to HBS’s unique approach – its extensive global network, focus on multi-national corporations and cross-cultural exchanges, and diverse student body. By emphasizing relevant experiences and clearly tying them to the distinct advantages of HBS, the applicant showed self-awareness and initiative in choosing the right program.
Similarly, another essay centered around an applicant’s leadership of environmental initiatives for a state government role. The essay spoke to HBS’s strength in sustainability and social entrepreneurship courses that would help advance the applicant’s career goals. Explicitly connecting experiences, skills and interests to what HBS offers demonstrates an applicant has thoughtfully researched the program and understands its distinct mission and community.
Showcasing Authentic Personality
Beyond strong storytelling and relevance to HBS, compelling essays let an applicant’s authentic personality shine through in a positive way. One successful essay took an lighthearted approach, weaving in humorous anecdotes from growing up in a large family of entrepreneurs and describing fond childhood memories of tagging along to their parents’ businesses.
This approach showed the applicant’s warmth, sense of fun and people-skills – valuable personal qualities – in an engaging way. But it never strayed too far from discussing lessons of hard work, creativity and community embedded in those experiences.
Likewise, another essay incorporated wry observations and candid self-reflection when recounting professional and personal growth over career pivots. This allowed the applicant’s charisma and individualism to come through comfortably while still maintain a coherent theme around continual learning and adaptability. Authentic essays reveal applicants as multi-dimensional people who will contribute positively to campus culture.
Conclusion
The application essays provide a key opportunity for MBA candidates to share their unique background, experiences, and qualities in a compelling narrative form. Examining exemplary HBS essays that incorporated strong storytelling, lessons learned, authentic personality, and demonstration of fit with HBS goals can offer valuable insights. While no single template or approach works for every applicant, analyzing real examples accepted can help guide crafting essays that will differentiate and resonate within a highly competitive program like Harvard Business School.
Andrew Stroud